Three days later, the army returned in triumph.

According to Dayu’s system, armies were never allowed to station in Jiankang. So previously, when Xu Mi had suppressed the rebellion and achieved merit, he could only return his army to Danyang to receive rewards from the court there.

But this victory had extraordinary significance and was truly inspiring.

Luoshen’s uncle, Emperor Xingping, not only allowed the army to advance to Jiankang and temporarily camp outside the city, but personally led civil and military officials out of the city to reward the army.

The scene that day was unprecedented in the decades since the imperial dynasty moved its capital to Jiangzuo. All the city’s people poured out to observe the military display.

Though Luoshen had no opportunity to witness it, she could still imagine the grand spectacle taking place outside the city at this moment.

Under the blazing sun with flags covering the sky, tens of thousands of officers and soldiers who had achieved great military merit for the nation stood in bright armor, arranged in neat formation below the Sovereign’s Platform outside the city under countless people’s gazing eyes, receiving inspection from their sovereign.

And her father, brothers, and future husband were positioned among them.

Luoshen was proud to have such relatives.

From early morning, she had no mind for other matters, desperately restraining her impatient feelings, hoping her father and the others could step through the door soon.

From when warfare broke out and her father left home to oversee north of the river until now, it felt as if a very long time had passed.

Luoshen missed them greatly.

…

The army reward ceremony ended smoothly.

The Emperor, amid the thunder-like respectful farewell voices from ten thousand troops behind him, departed first to return to the palace.

Gao Qiao and the Gao family behind him were undoubtedly the most glorious family today.

The secondary immigrant noble clans and local Three Wu noble families in the capital all took pride in being able to exchange a word or two with him.

As for the people, they were even more jubilant. After the ceremony ended, they were reluctant to disperse. But the name they discussed most was another person’s.

This name, because of today’s army reward ceremony, quickly spread throughout the land, almost everyone knowing it.

This name was Li Mu.

It was said that he single-handedly charged into Prince Linchuan’s battle formation and rescued a captured Gao family son from the heavy encirclement of thousands of troops.

It was said that he thwarted the Xia people’s plot to attack Yiyang, leading merely two thousand defenders in bloody battles at the river passes, stubbornly blocking tens of thousands of enemy troops’ repeated attacks until reinforcements arrived.

It was also he who served as vanguard daredevil in the great battle north of the river, leading his subordinates to five victories in five battles, invincible wherever he went, establishing extraordinary merit.

Today, after Emperor Xingping finished receiving the other noble family heroes led by the Gao family—including the Lu and Xu families who participated in the warfare—he specifically called Li Mu out of formation, appointed him Tiger Guard Commandant, and exceptionally bestowed a golden beast robe, not concealing his appreciation at all.

If even the Emperor was like this, needless to say the people.

If this young man named Li Mu had been born into a noble family, the people would just look up to him as they were accustomed to doing.

Precisely because he was born to a humble family, in this Yu Kingdom where “upper ranks have no humble families, lower ranks have no noble families,” where family background determined everything, he was an exemplar who had walked step by step from the lowest level to today’s glorious position. Countless commoners seemed to see hope for themselves and their descendants in him, which made their blood boil and even worship him fanatically.

Around Li Mu at this moment gathered soldiers three layers deep inside and out, completely blocked on all sides, with continuous sounds of cheering and laughter.

When Yang Xuan came looking, this was the scene he saw. He didn’t interrupt but stood smiling to the side.

Li Mu quickly saw Yang Xuan, pushed through the crowd to come out, walked quickly toward him, and paid respects.

Yang Xuan hurriedly supported him, smiling: “You now rank among the generals and received a golden beast robe personally bestowed by His Majesty—an honor we cannot match. From now on when you see me, you need not be so formal.”

The Dayu Emperor’s bestowed robes for subjects came in two types: crane robes for civil officials and beast robes for military generals. The former represented peace, the latter symbolized martial prowess.

Before the court moved south, for subjects, receiving a bestowed robe was often viewed as supreme glory. After moving south, because imperial power relied on noble family support and never recovered, top-tier noble families could almost equal the imperial family in nobility. Gradually, such honor might just be icing on the cake for noble families, but for those born to humble families, receiving a bestowed robe remained a dream.

Li Mu said: “This subordinate’s fortunate achievements today are entirely due to the General’s guidance along the way. The General should rightfully receive my bow.”

Yang Xuan saw that he showed no arrogance despite today’s honors and still treated him with respect, felt comforted, and smiled: “Minister Xu has also praised you greatly this time, mentioning you several times before me. Even if His Majesty hadn’t rewarded you this time, the Minister wouldn’t have shortchanged you. With Minister Xu and Chancellor Gao’s support, your future is limitless. They’re both in the command tent now—come with me. After paying your thanks, tonight we won’t go home until we’re drunk!”

Li Mu didn’t step forward but gazed toward the direction of the large tent where Xu Mi, Gao Qiao and others were located. After a moment, he said: “General Yang, do you still remember when Chancellor Gao once promised that whatever I requested, he would certainly grant it?”

Yang Xuan laughed heartily: “Naturally! The Chancellor’s promise then was decisive. Not only did I, Yang Xuan, hear it—many others heard it too!”

After speaking, he looked Li Mu over and smiled: “What’s this—have you already thought of what to request? Perfect timing—Chancellor Gao is here too. You can take this opportunity to bring it up. I’m sure whatever you request, the Chancellor will grant it.”

Li Mu said: “For this matter, I’m afraid I need to borrow the General’s assistance.”

“What matter? You actually need me to help you?”

Yang Xuan was somewhat surprised, then smiled again: “Just say it! Whatever I can do, I’ll certainly help.”

He patted his chest with overwhelming confidence.

“Thank you, General Yang.”

Li Mu smiled.

“What I request is Chancellor Gao’s daughter. I wonder if General Yang is willing to help me?”

Yang Xuan’s face had been smiling all along, but suddenly his smile froze. He hesitated, looked at Li Mu, and his tone carried uncertainty: “Jingchen, what did you just say? Chancellor Gao’s daughter?”

“Chancellor Gao’s daughter? You want to seek marriage with her?”

He paused and repeated with emphasis.

“Exactly. What I desire is to seek marriage with Chancellor Gao’s daughter.”

Li Mu replied.

“You… how could you have such thoughts? Are you joking with me?”

Yang Xuan hesitated and asked again, his tone full of confusion.

“I wish to seek marriage with Chancellor Gao’s daughter.” Li Mu simply repeated it again.

“If the General could convey my request to Chancellor Gao, Li Mu would be extremely grateful!”

Yang Xuan stared at Li Mu, whose expression remained normal, his eyes growing wider and wider. Even his full face of whiskers couldn’t hide his extremely shocked expression.

He suddenly changed color, looked around, and said: “Come with me!” He turned and hurried away into his own tent.

After Li Mu followed him in, Yang Xuan called two personal guards to stand far away guarding the tent entrance, not allowing others to approach, then turned around.

“Jingchen, have you lost your mind? How could you conceive such absurd thoughts? Who is Chancellor Gao? Who are we? You should know that noble families now hold power. With the Gao family’s reputation, even if the Chancellor is extremely grateful that you saved his nephew, he would never marry his daughter down to you. Listen to my advice—dismiss this notion early and don’t let it earn Chancellor Gao’s displeasure and bring humiliation upon yourself!”

His expression was grave and his tone extremely serious.

Li Mu’s expression didn’t change as he still smiled: “Thank you for the General’s guidance. However, seeking marriage with Chancellor Gao’s daughter is Li Mu’s only lifelong wish. Since Chancellor Gao promised that day that I could request what I wanted, even if it’s overreaching myself, I must try.”

Yang Xuan kept shaking his head: “Jingchen, at your young age you’ve been promoted to Tiger Guard Commandant—who in the entire court can match this? With your ability, your future will certainly far exceed mine. Moreover, today even His Majesty values you so highly—there’s no need to be so hasty! Even if Chancellor Gao made that promise publicly that day, it was just casual words. Other matters might be possible, but this matter he will certainly not agree to. How could you take it seriously?”

Li Mu said: “My wish to marry Chancellor Gao’s daughter has long existed. Having this opportunity, if I don’t try, how could I be content to give up? If the General finds it difficult, this subordinate dares not force it. This subordinate takes his leave first.”

He bowed to Yang Xuan in thanks, then turned to leave.

How could Yang Xuan let him go without dissuading his beloved general from this absurd notion? He immediately stepped forward to block Li Mu’s path.

“Jingchen! ‘A virtuous and beautiful lady is a gentleman’s good match’—I understand! But I’ve heard that the Gao and Lu families have always intermarried, both families have long intended a marriage alliance, and now they’re probably about to discuss betrothal. How could the Gao family abandon the Lu family to marry their daughter down to you at this time? Moreover, do you know that the separation between nobles and commoners is strict beyond your imagination? Those who consider themselves superior won’t even sit together with others, let alone intermarry. Even when ordinary noble and commoner families occasionally intermarry, the noble family’s relatives consider it shameful and refuse to associate from then on. With the Gao family’s status, how could they lower themselves?”

While persuading his beloved general, Yang Xuan himself was stirred up by long-suppressed resentment, and said bitterly: “Our ancestors had glorious achievements—how were they inferior to theirs? Now among the noble sons, many are even incompetent, yet relying on the court’s southern migration difficulties and ancestral glory, they use their family status to lord over us, viewing people as ants and cattle for their use. When have they ever regarded us with respect?”

He gritted his teeth and took a long breath. After calming his surging emotions, he said earnestly: “Jingchen, listen to me—don’t take Chancellor Gao’s words that day seriously! Dismiss this notion now to avoid failed courtship and humiliation!”

While he was persuading, Li Mu listened silently throughout. When he finished, Li Mu said: “The General’s kind words, every sentence coming from care, Li Mu is grateful and will never forget. But as the General knows, I’m naturally stubborn. When I have an obsession in my heart, if I don’t try, I won’t be content. Thank you, General. This subordinate takes his leave!”

Yang Xuan knew he still hadn’t dismissed the notion. Helplessly, he sighed deeply: “Fine, fine. Since you’ve asked me thus, how can I ignore it? But you must know that Chancellor Gao might not mind your presumption and would be willing to keep it secret for you. But there are no walls that don’t leak. Even if your marriage proposal is rejected, it will inevitably become known later and invite ridicule. Moreover, Minister Xu might suspect you’re trying to curry favor with Chancellor Gao and be displeased…”

Li Mu smiled slightly: “The General’s concerns are reasonable. Therefore, I trouble the General to first inform Minister Xu of this matter. If Minister Xu also considers it inappropriate, I’ll dismiss this notion and never mention it again. How about that?”

Yang Xuan had earnestly advised for a long time and finally heard him show some flexibility from his persuasion. He breathed a sigh of relief and quickly said: “Excellent! Then I’ll report to Minister Xu first. If it doesn’t work out, you must not persist in this notion!”

Li Mu bowed deeply to him: “Thank you, General! Li Mu awaits the General’s response here!”